Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro – A mother put some carrots on her daughter’s plate, telling her they would good for her eyes and would help her see in the dark.

The little girl pushed the carrots onto Mom’s plate and said, “You eat them, Mommy.

I’ll just use a flashlight.”

In other words, if it’s going to cost me, I’ll pass!

That could often describe our relationship with Christ.

If only we would see that the gain of God’s blessing is always worth the pain of the surrender to get there.

The disciples are back from their first solo ministry reporting “all that they had done” (v.

10).

They had semi-forgotten the power was Christ’s.

It wasn’t what they did; it was what He did through them.

So Jesus sets up this test to remind them – You need me!

The disciples, without food or resource, have urged Jesus to send this great crowd home.

But Jesus challenges them “You give them something to eat.” (13).

He knows they can’t.

It’s impossible – except thru Him! Which is what happens in the end.

So, to see how He makes much out of little, we are looking at What They Did ( 1. Recognized their insufficiency.

2. Gave all they had.

3. Obeyed ) and today What He Did.

*II.What He Did*

*A.Received What They Had*

V. 16: “And taking the five loaves and the two fish.”

took it all.

Think how this boy felt.

It was a poor lunch – but it was plenty for him.

Except – Jesus took it – the whole thing!

Not just 1 loaf and 1 fish.

Jesus took it all!

Did Jesus need more than one loaf and one fish?

Of course, not.

The starting amount didn’t matter.

This miracle is an act of creation.

Jesus’ creative power is shown by one profoundly simple statement in John 1:3, “All things were made through him.”

Jesus didn’t need a lunch to start with.

So what’s the point?

The point is there is a cost to having Jesus’ power invade your life – not because He needs it, but because He requires it.

He doesn’t need our ability.

He could make a thousand more just like us in an instant, but He wants us.

And if we want Him, it will cost – not just part of us, it will cost all of us!

Jesus doesn’t do half measures.

He doesn’t multiply half a person.

We can’t say, “You’re welcome in my family, but stay out of my finances!”

We miss out because we hold back!

Jesus demands all of us.

He doesn’t do it viciously.

He does it for our good and His glory.

He does it to multiply us.

Turn to Joshua 7. God gave Jericho to Israel just by marching around it?

No sweat.

Then came Ai – conventional warfare.

Spies told Joshua in 7:3, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai.

Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people.

And they fled before the men of Ai.” Whoa!

What happened?!

V. 10: “ 10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up!

Why have you fallen on your face?

11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.”

Someone held back - kept for himself.

A search leads to Achan.

“19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him.

And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them.

And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

It doesn’t pay to hold back.

So, what are we holding back this morning?

Some habit; some secret compartment no one else knows about.

Holding back brings discipline.

But to give in is to get back!

Deut 4: 29) But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

God is not a half-way God.

He deserves all that we are or ever hope to be.

How would you like to propose to a girl and have her say, “Okay.

I’ll marry you.

And I’ll give you every other week, and the whole month of May.” Would that do it for you?

No?

But somehow we think it works for God! “Lord, I’ll give you Sunday morning.

And I’ll even give you some money.

But my temper?

That’s mine.

That grudge against Charlie?

That’s mine.

Working late to avoid my wife and kids?

That’s mine.

Don’t think you’re going to get that!”

How can God work with that?

Look, what we have may not be much – it isn’t much.

But He wants it all.

Once He got all that the disciples had, look what He did with it!

But He has to be Lord of all.

*B.Blessed What They Had*

V. 16, “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.”

Okay, so Jesus prayed over the meal.

But the word “blessing” is more than that.

It carries two complimentary but nuanced emphases.

All 3 synoptic gospels tell us Jesus blessed what they gave Him.

John 6:11 differs: “Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated.”

I love that.

Two reasons!

First, was Jesus giving thanks because He needed these disciples or their food?

No. Was what they gave sufficient?

Not even close.

Yet He gave thanks!

He gave thanks for what He didn’t need, and He gave thanks for what was not enough.